Billing method for telecommunication service based on fixed fee

ABSTRACT

Provided is a billing method for telecommunication service based on fixed fee according to user&#39;s usage time. The method includes the steps of: estimating reference time according to user&#39;s usage time of the previous term; estimating guarantee time; reading user&#39;s usage time of this term; and billing telecommunication service fare according to the reference time and the guarantee time.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a billing method of a wired/wirelesstelecommunication system; and, more particularly, to a billing method ofa flat-rate telecommunication system.

BACKGROUND ART

A flat-rate telecommunication service is a system where a subscriber canuse a telecommunication service with unlimited minutes at a fixed cost.A billing system opposite to the flat-rate system is a minute-ratesystem, where the subscriber is billed based on the minutes for whichhe/she uses the telecommunication service.

The flat-rate telecommunication system has an advantage that it canrelieve subscribers from the burden of telecommunication service chargeby charging them only a predetermined amount of money. However, there isa problem that it is hard to determine a flat rate of atelecommunication service that both service provider and subscribers canaccept. Conventional methods for charging a flat rate do not reflect thesubscriber's service usage history at all and charge all the subscribersthe same flat rate for the service, collectively.

To solve the problem, researchers are studying to develop a method forcalculating a flat rate based on the previous telecommunication serviceusage history of each user. According to the method, different flat rateis imposed to each subscriber and subscribers pay as much as apredetermined flat rate for their using the telecommunication service,no matter how long they use the service.

However, this method also has a problem that the subscriber should paythe determined flat rate, even when the subscriber uses thetelecommunication service far shorter than the time of his previoustelecommunication service usage history.

This is unreasonable to bill the flat rate, which is higher than thesubscriber has actually used, to the subscriber who has used thetelecommunication service much less than usual. This problem may causedecrease in the number of subscribers to the telecommunication service.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a methodfor billing subscribers for a telecommunication service reasonably bycalculating reference time based on the subscriber's service usagehistory, fixing a reference rate based on the calculated reference timedifferently according to each subscriber. The billing method of thepresent invention can calculate the amount that a subscriber should payby adopting a reference time calculating module and a flat rateapplication time calculating module in a telecommunication billingsystem.

Other objects and advantages can be easily understood by those skilledin the art of the present invention from the drawings, detaileddescription and claims of the present patent application.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method for calculating a telecommunication service charge ofa user based on a predetermined length of time for which the user usesthe telecommunication service, including the steps of: a) calculating arepresentative value of telecommunication service use time for apredetermined period statistically and determining the representativevalue as reference time of the user; b) calculating flat rateapplication time based on the a predetermined additional amount, theflat rate application time being a period during which flat rate isapplied after the reference time; c) reading the user'stelecommunication service subscription time of this month from adatabase for storing the user's telecommunication service usage history;and d) imposing a first service charge if the telecommunication serviceuse time of the user is shorter than the reference time, imposing asecond service charge if the telecommunication service use time of theuser is longer than the reference time and shorter than the flat rateapplication time, and imposing a third service charge if thetelecommunication service use time of the user is longer than the flatrate application time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the preferredembodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a CAMA system in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a billing process in the telecommunicationsystem in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a method for calculating telecommunicationservice charge, which is shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for calculating telecommunicationservice charge, which is shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Following description exemplifies only the principles of the presentinvention. Even if they are not described or illustrated clearly in thepresent specification, one of ordinary skill in the art can embody theprinciples of the present invention and invent various apparatuseswithin the concept and scope of the present invention.

The use of the conditional terms and embodiments presented in thepresent specification are intended only to make the concept of thepresent invention understood, and they are not limited to theembodiments and conditions mentioned in the specification.

In addition, all the detailed description on the principles, viewpointsand embodiments and particular embodiments of the present inventionshould be understood to include structural and functional equivalents tothem. The equivalents include not only currently known equivalents butalso those to be developed in future, that is, all devices invented toperform the same function, regardless of their structures.

For example, block diagrams of the present invention should beunderstood to show a conceptual viewpoint of an exemplary circuit thatembodies the principles of the present invention. Similarly, all theflowcharts, state conversion diagrams, pseudo codes and the like can beexpressed substantially in a computer-readable media, and whether of nota computer or a processor is described distinctively, they should beunderstood to express various processes operated by a computer or aprocessor.

Functions of various devices illustrated in the drawings including afunctional block expressed as a processor or a similar concept can beprovided not only by using hardware dedicated to the functions, but alsoby using hardware capable of running proper software for the functions.When a function is provided by a processor, the function may be providedby a single dedicated processor, single shared processor, or a pluralityof individual processors, part of which can be shared.

The apparent use of a term, ‘processor’, ‘control’ or similar concept,should not be understood to exclusively refer to a piece of hardwarecapable of running software, but should be understood to include adigital signal processor (DSP), hardware, and ROM, RAM and non-volatilememory for storing software, implicatively. Other known and commonlyused hardware may be included therein, too.

In the claims of the present specification, an element expressed as ameans for performing a function described in the detailed description isintended to include all methods for performing the function includingall formats of software, such as combinations of circuits for performingthe intended function, firmware/microcode and the like.

To perform the intended function, the element is cooperated with aproper circuit for performing the software. The present inventiondefined by claims includes diverse means for performing particularfunctions, and the means are connected with each other in a methodrequested in the claims. Therefore, any means that can provide thefunction should be understood to be an equivalent to what is figured outfrom the present specification.

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of the embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter. The samereference numeral is given to the same element, although the elementappears in different drawings. In addition, if further detaileddescription on the related prior arts is determined to blur the point ofthe present invention, the description is omitted. Hereafter, preferredembodiments of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the drawings.

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of the embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

Herein, an Electronic Switching System (ESS) Centralized AutomaticMessage Accounting (CAMA) system is described in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The ESS CAMA system is managed byan ESS CAMA Centralized Management System (CCMS).

The CAMA system of the present invention includes: a Billing ProcessingDevice of Exchange (BPDE) and a host collector (HC). The BPDE extractscharge data from an ESS and transmits the charge data to the hostcollector. The host collector controls and verifies the charge data andtransmits them to an Integrated Client Information System (ICIS) or aprebilling system.

The BPDE can be categorized according to the type of ESS which extractscharge data. Recently introduced, ESSs, such as S1240, M10CN, N01A, 5ESS(Classic) and the like do not have the function of CAMA. The ESSs underintroduction includes an extraction device (ED) and a transmissiondevice (TD). The extraction device extracts charge data and thetransmission device transmits and manages charge data. The two devices,the extraction device and the transmission device, are called a billingmediation device (BMD), collectively.

Another type of BPDE is a TDX-1 Software Modification and Administrationfor Remote TDX (SMART). The SMART extracts and transmits charge data ofthe TDX-1A/1B/CPS. Yet another type of BPDE is a charge data transmitter(CDT). The charge data extracted in the above-described system aretransmitted to the host collector through a duplicated X.25 link tosecure reliability, when the CDT is cooperated with an operationmanagement network (OMN). Meanwhile, new ESSs with the functions ofcharge extraction and charge transmission, which is a function of CAMA,installed therein are connected to the host collector, directly.

Referring to FIG. 1, structures of the CAMA system and the CCMS aredescribed. The CCMS manages the state of the CAMA system. The CAMAsystem includes: ESSs under introduction 1; an ESS of TDX-1 series 4; anESS of TDX-10A 6; a CAMA system which is connected with the ESSs 1, 4and 6 and performs billing process and management; a CCMS which isconnected with the CAMA system and detects the state and errors of theCAMA system; and a new ESS 13. The new ESS 13 is connected with the hostcollector 9 directly through the OMN 8 in the CAMA system and transmitsthe charge data.

The CAMA system includes: extraction devices (ED) 2, transmissiondevices (TD) 3, a SMART 5, a charge data transmitter (CDT) 7, anoperation management network (OMN) 8, a host collector (HC) 9, and anintegrated client information system 10.

The extraction devices 2 are connected to the ESS 1 under introductionand extract charge data generated in the ESS 1 under introduction. Thetransmission devices 3 administrate the charge data extracted in theextraction device 2 and transmit the charge data to the OMN 8.

The SMART 5 is connected to the ESS of TDX-1 series 4, extracts thecharge data generated in the ESS of TDX-1 series 4, transmits theextracted charge data to the OMN 8 and manages the charge data. Thecharge data transmitter (CDT) 7 is connected to the ESS of TDX-10A 6,extracts the charge data generated in the ESS of TDX-10A 6, transmitsthe extracted charge data to the OMN 8 and manages the charge data.

The operation management network (OMN) 8 is connected with therespective ESSs 3, 5 and 7. The host collector 9 collects and verifiesthe charge data transmitted through the OMN 8. The integrated clientinformation system 10 manages the charge data verified in the hostcollector 9 integratedly, and calculates exact amount of charge. So, theintegrated client information system 10 includes a charge database forstoring service usage information, which includes subscriberinformation, service use time, and charge information.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a billing process in the telecommunicationsystem in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. Hereafter, the charge for using a telecommunication serviceis described on a time basis. However, it is obvious to those skilled inthe art that the present invention can be applied on a metric basis,too.

Referring to FIG. 2, at step S300, a client who wants the billing methodof the present invention for a telecommunication service applies for thebilling service to an administrator of the telecommunication system. Theapplication for the telecommunication service can be submitted through awired/wireless Internet telecommunication network or an automaticresponse system (ARS) or by phone call.

The application for the telecommunication service is received and thesubscriber, or the user of the telecommunication service, is registeredin the integrated client information system 10. Then, the charge forusing the telecommunication service is calculated in accordance with thepresent invention.

At step S310, a reference time for the subscriber is calculated afterregistration. At step S320, a flat rate application time for thesubscriber is calculated. The reference time is a representative valueobtained statistically, For example, an average of the time for whichthe subscriber has used the telecommunication service for recent sixmonths may be the reference time.

The flat rate application time is time for which flat rate is appliedbased on a predetermined additional after the reference time. The flatrate application time also can be calculated differently according toeach subscriber. The reference time and the flat rate application timeare calculated by using a separate calculation module in the CAMA systemand referring to the subscriber's record of using the telecommunicationservice.

At step S330, after the reference time and the flat rate applicationtime are calculated, the service charge of the month to be charged tothe subscriber is calculated based on them.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a method for calculating telecommunicationservice charge, which is shown in FIG. 2. The service charge for usingthe telecommunication service is divided into a first service charge, asecond service charge, and a third service charge based on the referencetime and the flat rate application time.

If the subscriber's service use time of the month is shorter than thereference time calculated at the step S310 of FIG. 2, the first servicecharge is billed. If the subscriber's service use time of the month islonger than the reference time, the second service charge, which is afixed rate, is billed to the subscriber.

The different service charges, i.e., the first service charge and thesecond service charge, are determined in this invention, because it maybe unreasonable to bill the subscriber uniformly if the user did not usethe telecommunication service far shorter than the reference time on acertain month.

Meanwhile, the flat rate application time is time for which theflat-rate telecommunication service is secured after the reference timebased on the predetermined amount of additional amount. After thereference time, the subscriber can use the telecommunication service atthe flat rate by paying the additional amount. However, since allowingthe flat rate unlimitedly is unfavorable for the telecommunicationservice provider, the flat rate application time is set.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, it ispossible to make the flat rate application time unlimited and have thesubscriber pay a predetermined amount for the unlimited flat rateapplication time so that the subscriber could use the telecommunicationservice at a flat rate without any time limit after the reference time.

The first service charge may be one among a service charge for using thetelecommunication service in correspondence to the reference time, atime rate corresponding to the telecommunication service use time withinthe reference time, and a charge obtained by adding the additionalamount to the time rate corresponding to the telecommunication use timewithin the reference time.

The second service charge is a flat rate obtained by adding theadditional amount to the service charge for using the telecommunicationservice for the reference time. The third service charge is a servicecharge obtained by adding the additional amount to the time ratecorresponding to the subscriber's telecommunications service use time.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for calculating telecommunicationservice charge, which is shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the service charge is calculated in the same was asFIG. 3 just except the calculation of the second service charge. Forexample, if the subscriber uses the telecommunications service longerthan the reference time and shorter than the time corresponding to theadditional amount, the service charge is billed to the subscriber asmuch as the time the subscriber has used the telecommunication service.If the subscriber uses the telecommunication service more than the timecorresponding to the additional amount and less than the flat rateapplication time, the subscriber is billed with an amount obtained byadding the additional amount to the service charge for using thetelecommunication service for the reference time.

Imposing the second service charge is determined based on the timecorresponding to the time corresponding to the additional amount. Thisis to calculate and bill a user more reasonable service charge, when thesubscriber uses the telecommunication service longer than the referencetime but less than the time corresponding to the additional amount.During the time period, the subscriber is billed for thetelecommunication service on a time basis, not on the flat rate.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, it ispossible to fix the additional amount differently according to thereference time of each user. In other words, the amount of theadditional amount is fixed differently according to the length of thereference time. Tables 1 and 2 exemplify the additional amount accordingto reference time.

TABLE 1 Reference Time (0, 20) (20, 30) (30, 40) (40, 50) (50, ∞)Additional 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 Amount (Won)

TABLE 2 Reference Time (0, 20) (20, 30) (30, 40) (40, 50) (50, ∞)Additional 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 Amount (Won)

In Table 1, the additional amount is determined in proportion to thereference time. In Table 2, the additional amount is determined ininverse proportion to the reference time.

Also, if the subscriber is an updated subscriber for an i^(th) serviceperiod, the additional amount can be calculated based on Equation 1below.

$\begin{matrix}{{{additional}\mspace{14mu}{amount}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu} i^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}} = \frac{\begin{matrix}{{additional}\mspace{14mu}{amount}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period} \times} \\{{monthly}\mspace{14mu}{average}\mspace{14mu}{use}\mspace{14mu}{time}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}}\end{matrix}}{{reference}\mspace{14mu}{time}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1}\end{matrix}$

It is desirable to reflect the monthly average use time for an(i−1)^(th) service period on the determination of the reference time.This is because it is most reasonable for the telecommunication serviceprovider to determine the reference time for an i^(th) service periodbased on the subscriber's monthly average use time of an (i−1)^(th)service period.

For example, if the monthly service use time of the (i−1)^(th) serviceperiod lies between 0 and the flat rate application time, the referencetime of the i^(th) service period is determined as the monthly averageuse time. If the monthly service use time of the (i−1)^(th) serviceperiod comes between the flat rate application time and unlimited time(∞), the reference time of the i^(th) service period is determined asthe monthly average use time.

The billing method of the present invention is reasonable to both usersand telecommunication system provider by calculating telecommunicationservice charge differently according to each user based on the referencetime and flat rate application time of each user. Particularly, thereasonable billing system, which is different from the conventionalflat-rate system, will draw more subscribers to the telecommunicationservice and, eventually, lead to successful business. In addition, sincethe billing system of the present invention calculates and providesreasonable reference time to updated subscribers, it can maintain theservice subscribers continuously.

While the present invention has been described with respect to certainpreferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A method for calculating a telecommunication service charge of a userbased on a predetermined length of time for which the user uses thetelecommunication service, comprising the steps of: a) calculatingreference time of the user based on telecommunication service use timefor a predetermined period; b) calculating flat rate application timebased on the predetermined additional amount, the flat rate applicationtime being a period during which flat rate is applied after thereference time; c) reading the user's telecommunication servicesubscription time of this month from a database for storing the user'stelecommunication service usage history; and d) imposing a first servicecharge if the telecommunication service use time of the user is shorterthan the reference time, imposing a second service charge if thetelecommunication service use time of the user is longer than thereference time and shorter than the flat rate application time, andimposing a third service charge if the telecommunication service usetime of the user is longer than the flat rate application time, whereinif the user is an updated subscriber for an ith service period, theadditional amount is calculated based on an equation as:${{additional}\mspace{14mu}{amount}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu} i^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}} = {\frac{\begin{matrix}{{additional}\mspace{14mu}{amount}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period} \times} \\{{monthly}\mspace{14mu}{average}\mspace{14mu}{use}\mspace{14mu}{time}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}}\end{matrix}}{{reference}\mspace{14mu}{time}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}\left( {i\text{-}1} \right)^{th}\mspace{14mu}{service}\mspace{14mu}{period}}.}$2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first service charge isa service charge corresponding to the reference time.
 3. The method asrecited in claim 2, wherein the second service charge is an amountobtained by adding the additional amount to the service chargecorresponding to the reference time.
 4. The method as recited in claim3, wherein the flat rate application time is unlimited time if the userpays the additional amount.
 5. The method as recited in claim 3, whereinthe third service charge is an amount obtained by adding the additionalamount to a time rate corresponding to the telecommunication service usetime.
 6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second servicecharge is an amount obtained by adding the additional amount to theservice charge corresponding to the reference time.
 7. The method asrecited in claim 6, wherein the third service charge is an amountobtained by adding the additional amount to a time rate corresponding tothe time for which the user used the telecommunication service.
 8. Themethod as recited in claim 6, wherein the flat rate application time isunlimited time if the user pays the additional amount.
 9. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein if the user's telecommunication service usetime is longer than the reference time and shorter than timecorresponding to the additional amount, the second service charge is atime rate corresponding to the telecommunication service use time; andif the user's telecommunication service use time is longer than the timecorresponding to the additional amount and shorter than the flat rateapplication time, the second service charge is an amount obtained byadding the additional amount to the service charge corresponding to thereference time.
 10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the thirdservice charge is an amount obtained by adding the additional amount toa time rate corresponding to the user's telecommunication service usetime.
 11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the flat rateapplication time is unlimited time if the user pays the additionalamount.
 12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein if the user'stelecommunication service use time is longer than the reference time andshorter than time corresponding to the additional amount, the secondservice charge is a time rate corresponding to the telecommunicationservice use time; and if the user's telecommunication service use timeis longer than the time corresponding to the additional amount andshorter than the flat rate application time, the second service chargeis an amount obtained by adding the additional amount to the servicecharge corresponding to the reference time.
 13. The method as recited inclaim 12, wherein the third service charge is an amount obtained byadding the additional amount to a time rate corresponding to the user'stelecommunication service use time.
 14. The method as recited in claim12, wherein the flat rate application time is unlimited time if the userpays the additional amount.
 15. The method as recited in claim 1,wherein the additional amount is determined based on the reference timeof each user.
 16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein if the useris an updated subscriber for an i^(th) service period and the user'smonthly average use time of an (i−1)^(th) service period comes between 0and the flat rate application time, the monthly average use time of the(i−1)^(th) service period is determined as the reference time; and ifthe user's monthly average use time of the (i−1)^(th) service periodcomes between flat rate application time and the unlimited time (∞), themonthly average use time of the (i−1)^(th) service period is determinedas the reference time.